歌词
Lesson 9
第九集
Royal espionage
王室谍报活动
What important thing did King Alfred learn when he penetrated the Danish camp of Guthrum?
当穿透了古瑟罗姆的丹麦营地时，阿尔弗雷德国王学到了什么重要的东西?
Alfred the Great acted as his own spy,
阿尔弗雷德大帝曾亲自充当间谍
visiting Danish camps disguised as a minstrel.
他扮作吟游歌手到丹麦军队的营地里侦察
In those days wandering minstrels were welcome everywhere.
当时，浪迹天涯的吟游歌手到处受欢迎
They were not fighting men, and their harp was their passport.
他们不是作战人员，竖琴就是他们的通行证
Alfred had learned many of their ballads in his youth and could vary his programme with acrobatic tricks and simple conjuring.
阿尔弗德年轻时学过许多民歌，并能穿插演一些杂技和小魔术使自己的节目多样化
While Alfred's little army slowly began to gather at Athelney,
阿尔弗雷德人数不多的军队开始在阿塞尔纳慢慢集结时
the king himself set out to penetrate the camp of Guthrum,
他亲自潜入了古瑟罗姆的营地
the commander of the Danish invaders.
一个丹麦的入侵司令官
These had settled down for the winter at Chippenham: thither Alfred went.
丹麦军已在切本哈姆扎下营准备过冬，阿尔弗雷便来到此地
He noticed at once that discipline was slack: the Danes had the self-confidence of conquerors, and their security precautions were casual.
他马上发现丹麦军纪律松弛，他们以征服者自居，安全措施马马虎虎
They lived well, on the proceeds of raids on neighbouring regions.
他们靠掠夺附近的地区的财物过着舒适的生活
There they collected women as well as food and drink, and a life of ease had made them soft.
他们不仅搜刮吃的喝的，而且抢掠妇女，安逸的生活已使丹麦军队变得软弱无力
Alfred stayed in the camp a week before he returned to Athelney.
阿尔弗雷德在敌营呆了一个星期后，回到了阿塞尔纳
The force there assembled was trivial compared with the Danish horde.
他集结在那里的军队和丹麦大军相比是微不足道的
But Alfred had deduced that the Danes were no longer fit for prolonged battle: and that their commissariat had no organization,
然而，阿尔弗雷德断定，丹麦人已不再适应持久的战争，他们的军需供应处于无组织状态
but depended on irregular raids.
只是靠临时抢夺来维持
So, faced with the Danish advance, Alfred did not risk open battle but harried the enemy.
因此，面对丹麦人的进攻，阿尔弗雷德没有贸然同敌人作战，而是采用骚扰敌人的战术
He was constantly on the move, drawing the Danes after him.
他的部队不停地移动，牵着敌人的鼻子，让他们跟着跑
His patrols halted the raiding parties: hunger assailed the Danish army.
他派出巡逻队阻止敌人抢劫，因而饥饿威胁着丹麦军队
Now Alfred began a long series of skirmishes -- and within a month the Danes had surrendered.
这时，阿尔弗雷德发起一连串小规模的进攻，结果不出一个月，丹麦人就投降了
The episode could reasonably serve as a unique epic of royal espionage!
这一幕历史可以说是王室谍报活动中最精彩的篇章
专辑信息